


imagines :)

by elderflower_macarons



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: (unless u like. request for tht), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Mild Language, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, lup gives u a hug, reader isnt gendered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26594032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elderflower_macarons/pseuds/elderflower_macarons
Summary: literally i just wrote a fic where lup hugs u while ur goin thru a rough time and im like yknow what ill post it and if ppl are interested then uhidk ill take requests. (primarily platonic shit but idk man ill dabble into romance, just say the word, i need to write more anyway)(so requests are open. come hug ur favorite characters, i guess. maybe smooch em if you really want. maybe just drink chocolate milk at 3 am with them. idk man i dont know ur life.)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	imagines :)

It's sometime during the twentieth-or-so cycle that Lup catches onto your shift in behavior. To be honest, you were surprised it hadn't been Barry, as you were often around him when it came to the actual work you were doing aboard the Starblaster, but… then again, you were good at masking your feelings around Barry by now. You let your work take over, and you kept your focus on your notes, and most people wouldn't notice. You aren't even sure why it was _Lup_ who notices. But she did, and she approaches you after the low country boil that night. You have been in the lab for hours, brows furrowed in frustration as you try to make out blurred ink smudges from parts of your notes that have gotten soggy. You blame Merle - as… _sweet_ as you could call his weird gifts throughout the year, he had plopped yet another creature into your lap, still wet with salt water. You had freaked out, clutching your note as you struggled between saving your work and saving the crab-like being from being hurt. While your anger _had_ melted when you looked at the iridescent shell it had, you threw a warning over your shoulder back at him to avoid your notes next time if he wanted to survive the cycle (an empty threat, to be sure, but it had been better than nothing).

"Sometimes I think you're a bigger nerd than _Barold_ ," Lup had said from the doorway, jerking you out of your thoughts.

The crab in it's glass container taps at the glass when it sees her. "I'm trying to salvage my notes."

"Are you _still_ mad at Merle?" She crosses the room, leaping up onto the countertop beside you. "I mean, that's totally fair, y'know - I think most of us would be _kiiinda_ pissed over that sorta thing."

"I'm not mad." 

"You sure? Taako said you snapped at him--"

You immediately look up, "I did _not_ snap at him! He… He made some sort of joke about cooking this lil' guy," you nod towards the iridescent crab. "I'm studying him."

"And?"

"And _what_?"

She rolls her eyes a little. "And? What have you found out?"

"Are you really interested in that sort of thing?"

She presses her lips together, humming a little for a moment. "Not _exactly_ , but, c'mon. I wanna hear about your work, you nerd."

"Well…" You start off, looking back at the glass. You tap it a few times, and the crab taps back before happily lighting up. "He does this."

" _He_?"

"They," you say, "I don't know - I was waiting for Barry to come back so we can look at it further. I've actually just been keeping this little friend company for the most part."

"I see." She nods, blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. "You know, you're _really_ bad at hiding when you're upset."

You jerk back around to face her. "What?!"

"You are!" She laughs a little, before quieting it and straightening up - as if to appear more serious. "Listen… you don't have to deal with whatever you're dealing with alone." 

_You're one to talk_ , you want to say, but you bite back the response.

"Y'know you could have said something to Merle about your notes, right?" She prods, "I mean, c'mon, [y/n]. We know how important your work is to ya."

You let out a heavy sigh. "It's not just that," you admit quietly, burying your face in your hands. "I don't - I don't feel like I'm… y'know," you wave a hand, " _a part of the team_. Like, uh, you and Taako have your twin-thing going on, and Merle and Davenport seem to be getting along well, and Barry and Magnus and Lucretia are team human--"

Lup smiles a little at that as she cuts in, "You know _you're_ human, right?"

"Yeah, but, like, I'm not in their human clique or whatever." You let out another sigh. "I'm just kinda… _here_."

"I mean, if you're lookin' for advice, I don't know what to tell ya'," she frowns at you, shifting slightly. "I mean, you could hang out with us more. I mean, I don't know about that _here_ , since, uh, I think we've been on this plane long enough, but, y'know. Next plane, you should ditch the lab-"

"This is my job, Lup!" You counter, "I can't just abandon my work-"

" _Wooah_ there, chief," she holds up her hands, "I didn't say abandon it. Just… y'know… maybe take it on the road, at least? Like that first plane we hopped onto." 

"The one where Mags and I died?" You laugh bitterly, "I remember. Great times, Lup."

"You two were ready to go down for those animals!" She says, "I mean, I saw it comin' from Magnus, but _you_? I thought you'd be dedicated to the science shit."

You look back at your notes. "I had to do something. My work comes first, but... I just couldn't leave things alone."

It's quiet for too long before Lup speaks again. "I know. I just wanted to say that, uh, you're welcome to bring that nerd stuff on the road with us. I'm sure Barold would be happy to help."

"I'm sure if you asked him, he'd do it."

"Maybe I _will_ ," she kicks in your direction, avoiding actually hitting you at all costs. "What else is eatin' ya?"

"I…" You stare off, and suddenly you feel something squeeze your chest. As if someone had just slipped a hand in and decided that words were not enough for a moment like this, and you fight back the tears that began to emerge. "Shit, nope, not now-" You wheeze the words out as your breath is stolen by a choked sob.

The first thing that follows is Lup pushing you away from the counter, pushing your notes back in the same motion to avoid any further damage to them. She pauses for a moment, staring at your little crab-friend in his glass cage as he flashes blue once, twice, and then a third time as you begin to cry in front of her. It escalates quickly, going from broken hiccups to almost full-blown sobbing as she nears you, hesitating slightly for a moment before pulling you into her arms.

And you immediately wrap your own around her, face buried in her warm shoulder as you sob. You cling to her, and it catches her completely off guard how you, guarded you, suddenly melted before her. She has a feeling what the cause is, but she bites her tongue and awkwardly pats you on the back. Soon enough, you go quiet, just holding onto her for a few spare moments before immediately pulling away. You straighten up, wiping at your eyes when her hand lands on your forearm. 

"You okay, dude?" She asks quietly, "I mean, I know you're upset 'n' all, but I didn't expect-"

"I don't know what happened," you say quickly. "I'm - I - _fuck_ , Lup, I'm sorry-"

"Nah," she dismisses it with a hand wave. "It's all good, chief! As long as you got that shit out."

"Please don't tell--"

"-- anyone?" She finishes your thought with a smile. "Yeah, I get ya'. Just get some rest soon, alright? Humans still need to catch some Z's last time I checked," she starts toward the door. "You should ask Lu if you can see her painting. You kinda missed it with all of your moping in here."

You wipe at your eyes. "What painting?"

"You'll see," she shrugs as she starts to leave, but she pauses. "Hey, uh, just… remember you're one of us, okay? We're here for you, you big _dork_."

And then you're left alone with this warmth in your chest as fatigue seems to hit you in the same moment. You watch the door slide shut behind her. You turn back to your notes, to the crab, and you let out a sigh.

"I guess I know what _you_ can do, huh?"

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes. u do not have a great family. and sometimes. u need affection. and sometimes u Could get tht affection if u said something, but then there comes a prompt for explanation and ur just like yknow what
> 
> ill just write fictional characters giving me validation instead :)
> 
> tune in for the thrilling sequel: taako gives u a hug. 
> 
> im mostly kidding but honestly. if someone is... interested... im open to it.
> 
> like i said uh. requests always open. platonic shit is absolutely allowed (i was like 'i want to write lup and reader, platonically hugging' and my friend was like 'go for it bro')
> 
> (also im bad at writing lup but i will. improve i just need to get into writing for balance)


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